Air Force medical providers, engineers, and support staff worked with Mongolian and Sri Lanken military personnel this month during the fourth annual Pacific Angel exercise. This initiative is meant to cultivate bonds and foster goodwill between US and Asia-Pacific countries through capacity-building in the realm of humanitarian assistance. This was the first year that Pacific Angel took place in Mongolia. In total, 130 military participants, along with aid workers and interpreters, provided health screenings and veterinary assistance and carried out engineering projects in the remote villages of Delgerkhaan, Jargaltkhaan, and Tsenkermandal and in Ondorkhaan city in Hentii province during the July 13-24 event. Thirteenth Air Force at JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, plans and executes Pacific Angel. (Tsenkermandal report by Lt. Col. Tracey Saiki)
The Air Force overall reduced its size by 120 aircraft in fiscal year 2021, but kept about the same number of fighter, bomber and attack aircraft, according to data supplied by the service. The F-35 fleet saw the biggest increase while the B-1B bomber fleet saw the largest decline.